The Indian cricket team secured their position at the top of the World Test Championship 2023-25 points table with their convincing win against Australia in the first Test of the ongoing series. Captain Virat Kohli showed his batting prowess with an unbeaten century, breaking multiple records in the process. This win puts India in a strong position to qualify for the WTC 2025 final at Lord's next year.
Background
The World Test Championship (WTC) is an international cricket competition that was inaugurated in 2019. It is contested by the top nine Test-playing nations over a two-year cycle, with the winner qualifying for the final.
India's Resurgence
After a disappointing campaign in the inaugural WTC cycle, India has rebounded strongly in the current edition. Led by captain Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri, the team has won six out of seven matches so far, including a convincing victory over arch-rivals Australia in the first Test of the ongoing series.
Convincing Win against Australia
In the first Test against Australia, India batted first and posted a mammoth 571 runs for the loss of seven wickets, thanks to centuries from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Australia were dismissed for 326 and 291 in their two innings, giving India a comfortable victory by 8 wickets.
Kohli's Record-Breaking Century
Virat Kohli was in sublime form in Adelaide, scoring an unbeaten 123 in India's first innings. This century marked several milestones for the Indian captain:
Top Position in Points Table
India's victory over Australia has propelled them to the top of the WTC points table with 75 percentage points. They are now well-placed to qualify for the WTC 2025 final at Lord's next year.
Top 5 FAQs
1. Who is the current World Test Champion?
2. Which team has won the most World Test Championships?
3. How many teams qualify for the WTC final?
4. Where will the WTC 2025 final be held?
5. Which team has the highest percentage points in the current WTC cycle?
Australia's senior batters, Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja, are under pressure to perform in the next two Tests or they risk setting an unwanted record for the longest spell without a Test century in the team's recent history. Despite not reaching triple digits in their last 24 and 27 innings respectively, fast bowler Pat Cummins has faith in his teammates, especially after witnessing Smith's impressive form in the nets. However, the team's overall struggle to score centuries has become a growing concern, with only three individual hundreds being scored in the last seven Tests.
In a nail-biting game at the NPL, South Africa emerged victorious against Pakistan by 7 wickets. After Pakistan chose to bat first, South Africa's bowlers struck early and restricted them to a modest total. In response, South Africa's batters showcased a strong performance, chasing down the target with only 3 balls remaining and securing a much-needed win.
After months of deteriorating relationship with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Jason Gillespie has officially stepped down as the head coach of the test side. The decision comes just two weeks before the highly anticipated test series against South Africa. Aaqib Javed, currently the interim coach of Pakistan's white-ball teams, will serve as the interim test coach for the series. Gillespie's resignation was a result of multiple factors, including being excluded from key decisions and the PCB's preference for Pakistan-based coaches.
England secured a dominant eight-wicket victory against New Zealand in their first Test match in Christchurch. Brydon Carse led the way with back-to-back six-wicket hauls, while newcomer Jacob Bethell's debut fifty sealed the win with a flurry of boundaries off Nathan Smith's bowling. England's strong performance was supported by key contributions from Harry Brook and Ben Stokes, while New Zealand's Kane Williamson and Glenn Phillips also put up a good fight with their respective scores of 93 and 58.
In a surprising move, Jason Gillespie has resigned from his role as the coach of Pakistan's Test team, with Aaqib Javed set to replace him for the upcoming two-match series against South Africa. Gillespie's contract was set to expire in 2026 but he decided to step down after the PCB didn't review the contract of another coach brought in on his recommendation. This news comes after the recent resignation of Gary Kirsten, who had joined as the white ball coach along with Gillespie.
Pakistan's hopes of victory in the first T20I against South Africa were dashed despite a steady innings by their captain, Mohammad Rizwan. Rizwan's cautious approach saw him score a 62-ball 74 runs but unfortunately it was too little too late as Pakistan fell short of their target of 184 by 11 runs. This was Rizwan's third-lowest strike rate in an innings where he scored over 50 runs, showcasing his slow yet steady play. However, it was not enough to secure Pakistan a win against South Africa.
Led by the dynamic duo of Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones, England successfully chased down a revised target of 153 in just four overs to defeat South Africa and claim the series victory. South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt put up a valiant effort with 61 runs but the English bowlers, including Katherine Brunt and Sophie Ecclestone who both took two wickets, proved to be too much for the visitors. Unfortunately, England's Captain, Heather Knight, suffered a back spasm early in the match, but her team's exceptional performance was enough to secure the win. The teams will now turn their attention to the upcoming four-day test starting on Sunday.
Two evenly matched teams in the Bundesliga, SC Freiburg and VfL Wolfsburg, will face off in an exciting match at Park Stadion on Friday night. Both teams are tied with 21 points on the table, making this a crucial game that will potentially impact their rankings. While Freiburg has had a mixed season so far, Wolfsburg has been on an impressive winning streak, fueling their confidence and determination to secure a victory in this match. Football fans can expect a thrilling match between these two competitive teams.
Afghanistan avenged their previous loss to Zimbabwe by putting up a solid performance in the second T20 match of the series. Darwish Rasooli scored his maiden international fifty while Naveen-ul-Haq and Rashid Khan each took three wickets to clinch a 50-run victory. The teams will face off in one final match to determine who takes the lead in this closely contested series.
In a thrilling match at Centurion, South Africa triumphed over Pakistan to win the three-match T20 series with one game still remaining. After facing an embarrassing defeat in the first T20, South Africa bounced back to claim victory by six wickets in the second match, showcasing their resilience and determination. This win marks South Africa's dominance in the series and sets the stage for an exciting final game between the two teams.